B. COCKING THE RAMMER Figure 35 The barrel assembly, breech mechanism, and tray are still moving forward in counterrecoil and have almost reached battery position. The live round is now on the tray with its base in the slots of the rammer levers. The rammer shoe is being held back by the tray catch lever, and as the tray moves forward, the rammer spring is compressed, cocking the rammer. The trigger ca tch lever is held down by the trigger mechanism, and the loader catch lever is held down by the rounds in the loader.

As the tray moves forward during counterrecoil, the pawls on the top surface rotate the catch heads, so that the star wheels can be rotated by the round which is fed between the star wheels and then onto the tray. which in turn are operated by the guides of the tray. As the tray is moving forward, the rammer shoe is latched to the rear by the tray catch lever, in such a position that the base of the next live round above the star wheels will be caught b y the slots in the rammer levers as the round is dropped onto the tray.

Firing occurs after the breech is closed, by the action of the cam of th e right inner crank upon the sear. The cam forces the sear inward, releasing the inner cocking lever and the firing pin. The firing pin strikes the primer, which explodes the propellant charge of the round. F. EJECTING THE CASE Figure 39 The barre l assembly, breech mechanism, and tray are moving rearward as a result of the momentum imparted b y the powder pressure at the beginning of recoil. The breech block is in the open position, the outer and inner cranks having been rotated by action of the roller, riding against the cam surface of the side door.